The Bible speaks to everything in one way or another. Where it does speak directly, it is correct even if the pagan culture in which we live disagrees or thinks that God’s way is too simplistic or idealistic. The criminal justice system in our country is seriously flawed and corrupt, and this is because the system does not represent the basic model presented in God’s Word.

The fact is that during the establishment of our nation much of the foundational law represented the Judeo-Christian principles. It wasn’t perfect, but the years of judicial, administrative, and legislative adjustments have stripped our law of its value. A majority of these changes were in violation of the original documents, without the permission of the people.

The end result of pagan intellectualism has given us a prison system that multiplies the criminal element and moral perversity. The present practice celebrates and rewards the violator and punishes the victims, who are the core of our society. The rejection of capital punishment mocks a holy God and encourages murderers, rapists, and other evildoers to continue committing their crimes. The unequal application of the law ends up punishing the little guy while the elite go free and even run for high office. In the courtroom, the defense is expected to get the guilty off. While the family of the victim lives with the grief of the crime, our legal system bankrupts a nation, encouraging a violent society.

The end of this spiral comes when those in charge do away with real punishment because they say that “the system is flawed”, but then go on spreading evil by moving further away from the answer God has given. This pagan philosophy is based on folly – the idea that man is basically good and society has the power to change the criminal into a good citizen through re-education. How has that worked out? The bottom line is that evil things are made good and good things are made evil. This nonsensical system murders the innocent child in the womb, but rewards those who are guilty and sets them free.

GODS WAY ALWAYS WORKS

God’s plan is clear and simple. Cities of refuge and temporary confinement were only for the purpose of making sure that judgment was served honestly and with alacrity. The goals were restitution and retribution. For the criminal, there was always an end to the dealing with evil. The pagan mind tells us that capital punishment doesn’t work, but the truth is that no murderer who died for his crime has ever murdered again. The liberal mind complains that capital punishment is “cruel and unusual punishment”. The record, however, makes it clear that prison is a cruel and unusual punishment, while execution is actually merciful and quick. God’s plan shuts the door on the manufacture of the criminal element. The growth and respectability given to sodomy at this hour is a by-product of a useless prison system. The answer to crime from frustrated leaders is simply to make things legal, no matter how evil the practice is in God’s sight. The problem is that making things legal doesn’t make them right, but it does reveal the serious lack of wisdom in the present system. Pagan philosophy counters with the argument that moral people want to establish a “theocracy”. The truth is that God’s plan works; it is what is needed, no matter what you may choose to call it.

INSULT TO INJURY

The saddest point in all of this is that some of those who name the name of Christ are siding with the seared mind of the unregenerate. There are several reasons for this. One reason is the philosophy of the state educational system in our nation, which has been adopted by so-called Christian institutions. The liberal mindset has no valid authority base. That mindset has taught a whole generation to use human reason as the highest authority. God gave us the ability to reason, and that ability, when properly used, will end up in agreement with God’s wisdom. Man’s wisdom ends up working full-time to prove that God is wrong.

EXAMPLE

Yesterday a friend of mine was sentenced to jail time for lying to the IRS. None of us would approve of any deliberate and clear violation of the law. In this case, however, he did not owe anyone anything, so restitution had taken place and there was no evidence of deliberate violation. It was not a capital crime, so retribution was not an issue. In God’s plan, the issue was settled. So, what is going on here with the imposition of jail time? Most of us have taken deductions that were disallowed, and many have not included so-called income that was questionable. It would be very easy for the current vacillating system to put us behind bars; in fact, this system has been used many times by a vengeful administration to punish those who disagree with them.

CORRUPT

Corruption is a very strong word, but it is true and is the point of this discussion. When the little guy is punished for something, he is judged harshly. At the same time, those at the top use power and money to avoid justice. Some of the most public figures owe huge amounts of taxes and have avoided paying them. This is corruption. If lying to the IRS is a crime – and it is – then why are major leaders so often shielded from responsibility? If lying is a crime, then half of Washington should be indicted given the fact that liberalism lives on lies.

The argument used to protect the elite is that nothing has been proven, and they are innocent until proven guilty. That may be true of the court, but it isn’t true in the real world. If someone murders and a corrupt defense attorney gets them off, they are still guilty. It seems, however, that if you have enough power, influence, and money, you can get away with murder. It may all be legal, but it still is corrupt. So, while the average citizen has no “real” protection, he can be incarcerated for questionable charges. Meanwhile, the guilty run for the highest offices in the land and may never even be charged even if their crime was treasonable, such as rewriting the founding documents of our nation!

CONCLUSION

This is the real story of flawed justice. In the end, it doesn’t work because it flies in the face of what the sovereign creator God has given us. His way is perfect and always works. Man’s way is flawed and produces injustice. So who should be behind bars?

WARNING!!! To keep you from having a “hissy fit”, please keep this in mind. Most of the things on the following list are not bad in themselves. This is not a condemnation of change or of things that are new; rather, it is a list of things that almost always appear on the road to the Emerging Church and its denial of biblical authority and sufficiency.

My heart is grieved by the fact that many of my long-time friends have been fooled into replacing a theology that is biblical with “culture authority”. They do this by mocking things of the past and ridiculing those who press for biblical responsibility. Theology is a nasty word to them, but theology is actually a growing understanding of the God whom we serve.

HERE IS A PARTIAL LIST

Hymnals disappear. The Psalms are actually a hymnal. There is nothing wrong with a hymnal, even though there are things in some hymns that are errant. The Bible doesn’t command us to have hymnals in our churches. On the other hand, many people need to see the notes in order to be able to sing. Some churches have put the score on the screen to solve that problem. Without it, the blending of voices in harmony is nearly impossible.

The organ disappears. The Bible does not require that a church should have an organ, but trying to replace it with a tinny technical sound does not solve the issue. Nothing in our world can possibly replace the majestic sound of a pipe organ.

The platform is renovated. Anything that represents the past is bad and has to go. The choir loft and other furniture, including a communion table, are all replaced with new items designed to modify worship activity. Even the pulpit has to go, one way or another. It is certain that none of these things are commanded in Scripture, but their removal is the first hint that the Bible is no longer the center of worship.

The building is renovated. In this war on history, anything that speaks of the past has to go. When walking into some of the today’s new facilities, it’s hard to even know for sure that you’re in a church. We can worship anywhere, but that is not the question. The question should be, “Is real worship going on here at all”?

Music does a turnabout. There are many kinds of music, much of which can be used tactfully. This is not an easy area to discuss, but replacing beautiful harmony with discord, yelling, repetition, and songs written by low-talent writers is certainly not helpful. It’s not that all current music is by any means bad; but when lyrics fly in the face of Scripture, there is a problem. It seems that the great majority of “worship leaders” don’t really even have enough theology to know when they are offending God.

Sermonettes replace biblical preaching. This is the second thing that reveals a turn away from Scripture. Preaching of the text is derided. Certainly some truth is spoken, but there is so little solid teaching of what God has said that people are starving spiritually. This happens when the communicator only knows about the Bible and very little of what God has actually said in the Bible.

Services dry up and disappear. The assembly of the local church is necessary for the health of the fellowship. Even with three services a week, there is a dearth of Bible teaching. People should be doing studies personally and with their families, but it is probably less than ten percent of the congregation that actually does. The Bible gives no strict rule on this, but during the persecution in the first century, they met daily. After all, how could once a week possibly provide for the coming persecution?

Evangelism almost disappears. For most churches, this is long gone. The task of reaching the lost should not be relegated solely to the preacher. The first line of evangelism is each true believer living and sharing the gospel in a needy world. Some human theological inventions have removed this from the believer’s responsibility, but it is still there.

Altar calls are non-existent or non-effective. Invitations at the end of a service are a recent invention, but they do have value. The important issue is why they have disappeared. If no one ever responds, why should you even bother to have one? And why doesn’t anyone one respond? This has to be a topic for another discussion, but a lot of it has to do with poorly crafted messages.

Unregenerate membership. This is an old problem. We invented a church membership concept that allows professing Christians to be part of a local church. When attendees act and talk like pagans and confess that the Spirit of God does not dwell in them, they should not be part of a membership. The new approach today, however, is to welcome pagans into the church without any clear testimony of conversion. The percentage of unsaved people in today’s congregations is now staggering. This is a third major area identifying the departure from scripture.

Man-centered worship. Worship is about God, to God, and for God; but you wouldn’t know it in most of today’s “worship” meetings. Yes, there are lots of words about God, but it hard to actually find Him. How can you worship when the words being used are offensive to God and to His Word? Who in such a meeting can really worship? Unsaved Christ rejecters, as well as carnal, out-of-fellowship believers can’t truly worship. So, how many true believers who walk in the Spirit and who are able to worship are present? Man-centered entertainment “worship” is carnal and fleshly. One certain “worship leader” has confessed that “We do what we like”.

A hatred of history. This is the mantra of liberalism, socialism, and communism. Those on the road to the Emerging Church must shake the dust of history off their feet. The true believer rejoices in factual history, learns from it, and respects it, but does not live in the past. The road to “what we like” can have no historical markers.

A disdain for doctrine and scorn for theology. This is where it all ends. It is why churches often change their names, neuter their public doctrinal statements, and make fun of exegetical preaching. Their sick defense is that “We change our methods, but not our message”. Sorry, but that is an impossibility and, frankly, it is a lie.

WHOA!! Don’t waste one breath in trying to argue about any of the above. The fact is that we need change, and many new things do indeed have value. The standard, however, should ever be the Holy Word of God. The tragedy is that most people don’t know enough of a theology that is biblical to allow them to avoid the dead end. That dead end is the Emergent Church mob. How much of this has emerged in your world?

The story was told of a reporter who was taking a brief survey on a city street. He asked a passerby to comment on the biggest problems in our country, ignorance and apathy. The individual supposedly replied, “I don’t know and I don’t care”. That response reflects the attitude in the average church toward the Bible. I am amazed at the gross ignorance of the scriptures amongst those in our circles. The same is also true of the average church leadership and, unfortunately, of some pastors.

And now, if I have your attention, let me explain. Most people I know have knowledge about the Bible, but few actually have knowledge of the Bible. To know about Adam in the garden, Joseph’s coat of many colors, Daniel in the lions’ den, or David and Goliath is to know about the Bible. That is not the same as knowing what God is communicating to us. The Bible is a book about God. The scripture is there for us to understand who He is, what He has said about Himself, and what that means to us.

It doesn’t take an extended conversation to see that the average person in the church has surface information about the Book, nor does it take very long before they demonstrate a lack of understanding of what God has actually stated. They tend to repeat what other people have said or written, but they have never tested it with the text. A greater tragedy is that, when you ask them to explain their beliefs, they simply don’t care. Their ignorance is displayed when they say, “I think” or “I believe” or “my view is”. What is even worse is to hear them say, “That is what my pastor, or my church believes”. Apathy is evident when they say, “It’s not all that important”.

ILLUSTRATIONS OF THIS

Over the past year, I have been grieved again and again by people from my past who don’t know or even care what God has said. As students or members of the church, they have all had the same basic teaching. Some have done very well in embracing “what the Bible says”, so at least there is some success. Others have no shame in rewriting the Bible anytime it doesn’t agree with them. Some of these folks who sat under biblical teaching have joined churches that are actually cultic. Most of them do not even have a clue about the doctrinal position of the church and have never asked. Many have moved to the “emerging church” because of its entertainment emphasis as opposed to true worship. They have no idea where the church is or where it is headed theologically, and they don’t seem to care. Even when God has written Ichabod over them and closed the doors, they just move on to another church tragedy filled with ignorance and apathy.

I have been tempted to use some of the names of those churches and the individuals who have turned their back on God’s word, but then ignorant people would call that “judging”. One thing that seems evident is that this curse is caused by the fact that so many people in those churches have never been born again, and so they have no ability to understand the text that is spiritually discerned.

Do you have any idea why so many so-called churches today have changed their names? There was a time when you could see a church name and at least know where to begin with your questions. With the “dishwater” types of names so many churches have now adopted, you have to begin at the beginning; there is no other obvious place to start with your questions. Church websites have deliberately watered down their statements of faith in order to prevent your realizing that they are a cult. They know that most folks don’t know what questions to ask, nor do they know why certain doctrines are a key for understanding.

ACCEPTING THE CHALLENGE

This problem often begins with churches when they try to select a new pastor. To start with, it is Christ who calls pastors, not local churches. The church’s main task is to find out who it is that Christ has selected as His under-shepherd for that congregation. Countless hours are wasted in ignorance and apathy as those who are responsible discuss surface issues and miss the main focus. If Christ designates a man as local shepherd, you can be sure that person will be equipped and qualified. You can be sure that Christ would approve a man of the Book – not a man who knows just about the Bible, but one who actually knows what God is saying. We often end up with someone who is telling only what they think God is saying. God help us! When it comes to finding out what a man really believes, who in the average local church would be able to do that? Get off your high horse! Yes, it is true that all of us know some basic Bible facts, but who is going to protect the church from doctrinal error? Who in the church’s leadership has understanding that would root out false teaching in a candidate?

This is why so many churches have fallen prey to the “emerging church” movement and to entertainment in lieu of true worship. Pastors who know what God has said in His Book and who are called of Christ have backbone and will stand up to such nonsense. A man who is called by Christ will be a man who understands God’s holiness as being central to what we know about Him. He would be reviled by the worship of man and intolerant of having the filth of the world dragged into a congregation.

OUR RESPONSE TO THIS PROBLEM

How do we deal with ignorance? There is no end to opportunities in this arena. Ask yourself, “How many minutes each week does the average church member spend in solid, serious study of God’s Word, including church meetings?” There you have the heart of ignorance. The first step is to make sure that any and all teaching and preaching are carefully crafted and filled to overflowing with who God is and what He says. Then ask in what ways we can increase valuable study of the Word by each member. It should begin by setting aside books written by humans and then moving to studies of the Book. How do we deal with apathy? Challenge people to search their own hearts. God will speak to them if they have not become His son by faith. A spirit of revival is needed in the church that is self-absorbed, and that includes the preaching of God’s word regarding sin. Because they love their sin, the “emerging church” hates preaching on wickedness. They breed immorality because to them God’s word is only a toy.

Only God can break through to the mind that has embraced ignorance. Only He can break the heart of someone who doesn’t care. I grieve for those who are comfortable in their trap, but there surely must be some of them who are still open to preaching about a holy God.

A lot of opinions have been tossed around as to who Israel is, and it is time to ask some questions. To begin with, what is behind the “replacement theory”? That is the idea that the Church replaces Israel. Actually, this theory comes from a humanly developed hermeneutic. The one biblical hermeneutic recognizes the clear, distinct, and eternal differences between Israel and the Church: Israel is the wife of God, and the Church is the Bride of Christ. This distinction cannot be changed and will remain in eternity.

At least the replacement idea is clearly stated and is easy to recognize. The problem for those in our camp is that there are small encroachments on this subject. Any narrowing of that clear biblical distinction has to use the same hermeneutic that the replacement theory uses. Any distinctive that belongs to the Church and is assigned to Israel is a step in the wrong direction. It even appears to be a mild form of anti-Semitism.

PRESENT ISRAEL

In the Arabic world, we teach some of the finest believers I have ever known. This subject is difficult for them because of things that have been done to them. I don’t excuse anything that anyone does that is wrong or inconsistent. On the other hand, though, this discussion deals with who they are and not what they have done.

The nation of Israel that is now in the land is a nation. It is foolish not to recognize that fact. This present nation, however, is not equal to the Old Testament theocratic nation of Israel. It is not equal to the nation of Israel in the Millennium. The people in this present nation are God’s chosen people despite their rejection and hard-heartedness. The Bible does tell us that they will return to the land, but that they will return in unbelief. They will be a different people in heart when the “New Covenant” is fulfilled just prior to the Millennium. That will be a miracle of God, just as your own personal salvation was a miracle of God.

WHO OWNS THE LAND?

Many writers have been proposed opinions about this subject. It has been suggested that the nation now in the land has no claim on the land. This would be the Reformed position, but it is wrong. It is the Jews that God has chosen as His special people, no matter when or where they are on the earth. The land grant – all of it – was given to the people, not to the nation. (Genesis 15:18-21) Even when there was no organized nation, the land belonged to them, the people; thus the people in the land at this hour do indeed retain the promise of the land grant.

I have often been asked, “If the present nation of Israel were driven into the sea, would that affect my understanding of prophecy?” The answer is no. We know only what we see and what is clearly stated in the Bible text, but God knows what He intends to bring to pass. On this subject we must be careful about assigning to Old Testament texts meaning that is not clearly tied to the specific subject.

BEWARE OF OFFENSE

Bible history is very clear: any nation, group, religion, or individual who offends God’s chosen people will, without question, be judged by God. In due time, any nation that has turned its hand to God’s chosen people will be destroyed. Theologians ignore this judgment by simply having those people disappear. In the end, scholars will be judged for their philosophical and allegorical treatment of Israel. The problem is that any offense, whether large or small, offends a Holy God. This is not just a matter of disagreement; it is a serious consideration.

The leadership of our country has turned its hand against God’s chosen people and has opened the door to their destruction. If the nation that is now in the land were to be slaughtered, how is that any different than what Germany did to the Jewish population? This is not about what the present nation is doing; it is about who they are. They are in unbelief and have rejected their Messiah, but they are still God’s particular people, like no other people in history. It is a backdrop for those who try to blend the Church and Israel. No matter how small, it is not a light matter; and everyone who has participated in this, no matter who they are, should expect judgment.

One has only to read the book of the Revelation of Jesus Christ to see what happens to those who set their teeth against this ancient people. Without doubt, it ends in the greatest bloodbath in the history of the earth.

THE PROBLEM OF THE LAND

You can do your own study from scripture and history as to why God’s people lost possession of the land. It was their own fault. They failed to obey, to keep the covenant; and God promised they would be dispersed and that others would take their land. In God’s time, though, they will have all of the land that God willed for them. While they are driven out of the land, not occupying it, the land still belongs to God’s chosen people. He has never revoked that promise of ownership.

THE ROOT OF THE PROBLEM

The cancer of the “emerging church” has swept through our own ranks. The mantra is, “We have changed our methods, but not our message”. It is possible that some do not understand what they have done, but that is a bold-faced lie. The “emerging church” is filled with theological error, and on the subject of Israel they are dead wrong. I find it difficult to understand why people who have been taught truth seem to find it so easy to ignore doctrinal error when moving to one of the “entertainment churches”. In their disobedience they now say, “It doesn’t matter”. Even those who have moved into cult congregations are unable to see the false teaching. They appear to be blinded to truth, and what is worse is that they actually enjoy the Laodicean congregations they have joined! Perhaps the “noise” has helped to impair their hearing and their hearts. In the end, they have no idea how these false teachers have arrived at ideas that offend a Holy God.

In Genesis 6:5, there is a description of our present world: And God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. Then God determined, I will destroy man whom I have created from the face of the earth; both man and beast (6:7). But Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord (6:8). God’s grace in the midst of awesome judgment is a blessing and an encouragement to the obedient. When His judgment was over, God said, I do set my bow in the cloud, and it shall be for a token of a covenant between me and the earth (9:13). Now when believers see the rainbow, we are reminded of God’s grace and that He always judges sin.

Every judgment spoken of in the Bible is a warning to the unbeliever and a blessing to the believer. It is a reminder of God’s all-knowing, all-present, and all-powerful character. It reminds us that the sovereign creator God is a holy God and that His holiness is His primary characteristic. Truth flows from His holiness, and love flows from truth. Liberal-minded professing Christians hate judgment because they know they have been disobedient. True grace is foreign to them. This is why their “sloppy agape” makes love to rule over holiness – so that judgment will disappear. Judgment, on the other hand, causes true believers to rejoice. Even the final judgment in the Lake of Fire does this, because the eternal destruction of the wicked highlights God’s holiness, forgiveness, and grace for the obedient. Liberal-minded theologians deny the eternal judgment of God simply because their guilt condemns them, and they hate judgment.

An example of this in our own society is the issue of capital punishment. There is a very real reason why people oppose this doctrine that is clearly taught as part of the age we live in. Many who oppose the death penalty judgment only wish to protect themselves. They fear judgment because their hearts condemn them.

ALL JUDGMENTS HAVE ALREADY BEGUN

Those who have chosen judgment over grace are already suffering the consequences of their decision. He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him.” (John 3:36) Every day, in the life of the unbeliever, God is demonstrating His judgment. James talks about the wicked wealthy man who is already being judged for his ill treatment of the poor and needy. Everything in his life is a mockery of a holy God, while every day in the life of the true believer should glorify the Lord of Glory.

The Bible teaches that, after the departure of the true church from this earth, the anti-Christ will rise. The Holy Spirit’s special ministry of indwelling that began at Pentecost will no longer exist on this earth as a restrainer; then the evil one will rule. One word characterizes the Tribulation period; it is the word “wrath”. The rule of the wicked one is a judgment of tsunami proportions, and this judgment has already begun to work.

And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that spirit of the antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world. (I John 4:3)

THE JUDGMENT HAS ALREADY BEGUN

Our nation and our world will be judged. Because of the holy character of the sovereign creator God, He must judge evil. Never in the history of this world since the flood has wickedness and violence been so wide spread. Never in the history of our nation has the holocaust of abortion been so sweeping. Never has the voice of sodomy been so deafening. No group or leader in government has been so egregious. While all past leaders have had their faults, nothing compares to the evil in the elite of our own country. All three branches of our government have openly and without apology left the road of truth for a street of lies. The rich and the powerful go on without conviction while the small and insignificant are imprisoned for petty crimes. God must judge this once great nation.

I have no time for those who have their heads in the sand. The judgment has already begun. I am thankful for the optimists, but those of us who are realists refuse to make excuses. In the past, God has used His creation to judge this cursed earth, and He is doing so now. Fire, flood, earthquakes, hurricanes, tornados, typhoons, etc., are not incidentals in God’s plan to judge; and that judgment has begun.

STOP HERE FOR A REMINDER AND ENCOURAGEMENT

For believers, all of this reminds us of God’s grace for His children and that He loves His own and is justified in all judgment. Our nation is just one incident away from a civil war, and those who stoke the fire of racism may be the spark that causes it to begin. Economic collapse is inevitable given the rapid increase of our national debt. How God will judge all this wickedness, we do not know; but true believers know that God will judge, and He will be justified. That is why believers can be comforted. HE WINS, WE WIN, THE WICKED LOSE.

The carnal mind says …for since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation (II Peter 3:4); but God says, For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now. (Romans 8:22) Put down your silly games, and make sure your heart is right with God!

Several voices are calling for a day of mourning and prayer for our nation. It has been suggested that we choose July 4th of this year for that purpose. It would be a good contrast to what we normally see as a fun day with the family. One would have to note that security forces are saying that there are credible threats against us on that day.

A precedent for this is found in Proverbs 29:2 – When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice; but when the wicked beareth rule, the people mourn. In my nearly eighty years of life, this world has moved further into moral self-destruction than in all the rest of history. Those who misunderstand the holiness of God ask …where is the promise of his coming? For since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of creation. One question will solve this: when, in the history of this world, has there been a worldwide push to support sodomy? This may not include every nation, but who would ever have expected the news to be filled with photos of crowds in the streets of so many countries calling for the spread of this wickedness? This has never happened before.

MY, AIN’T GOD MAD

Some years ago I wrote an article with this title. Now in our nation, when you add the murder of thousands of unborn children to the exceedingly wicked spread of sexual perversion, it spells judgment. The wicked laugh at such an idea, saying “We don’t even know if there is a God”. Some in our circles tell us it isn’t so bad. Others ridicule God’s justice and push their own “sloppy agape” to silence the voices of truth.

Have it your way. The fact is that God has to judge this nation because He is holy and all other things flow from His holiness. God will judge this nation. We don’t know just when or how, but we do know why. We do know the times and the seasons (I Thessalonians 5:1), and we do know how God has done this in the past. He has used wicked rulers, enemies, and even the weather. We do know that this world is cursed by sin, and …we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now.” (Romans 8:22) We do …know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. (II Timothy 3:1) A list of crimes against God is outlined in that text, and they continue to increase at breakneck speed.

HOW DO PEOPLE RESPOND?

The pessimist cries, “Woe is me, there is no help or hope! It’s all over; nothing we can do. Face it – we have lost”. The optimist cries, “It’s not that bad. We will recover. Focus on the positive, and ignore the negative”. The realist cries, “This is a critical hour. We are set for the judgment of God. God is still on the throne. In the end, we will win; and we have a responsibility in this hour. There is no time for a pity party. We are overcomers, and the battle is not done”.

Actually, both the pessimist and the optimist have their heads in the sand. They both fail to engage the opportunity God has given us in this hour of trouble. As true believers, we were born for this hour. It is a great time to share the love of God and the gospel of Christ. The contrast is so great that, if we respond as God has directed, God will bless in many ways. This is a great hour for truth. The pessimist ignores it, and the optimist denies it. The realist steps up to take the challenge God has put before us. A holy God has called us to speak the truth in love. (Ephesians 4:15)

It is not loving to soft-pedal sin. It is not loving to cover or ignore wickedness. It is loving to tell the truth and make it plain and simple. We are not supposed to surrender or be silent. We need to see things as they are. This is not time for the silence or cowardice.

WHY SHOULD WE MOURN?

The truth is that our nation has crossed the line. Except for the grace of God and the possibility of a national revival, there is no coming back. The destruction of this country is sure, and the judgment of God has been sealed. This may be why mention of America is nowhere to be found in the scriptures. We should mourn because that judgment is near. In recent years our country has come close to civil war several times, and in the last year any one of these “flash points” could have set off fighting in the streets. We had a warning of outside destruction on 9/11; now the destruction is from within. Racism is on the rise, the elite in our capital violate our founding documents, the economy is set for collapse, and our military power has been neutered. One might add to this the current open hatred for biblical Christianity.

Of course there are small rays of light, such as the spirit of forgiveness in Charleston and some in leadership who speak out for righteousness. The entertainment church in general, however, has become virtually useless and doesn’t have enough power to blow the nose of flea. We should mourn because no nation that chose to kill its young and its old, embrace sodomy, or to turn its hand against God’s chosen people has ever continued.

If I had a flagpole, I would lower it to half-mast on the fourth of July in remembrance of the “death of a nation”; but I refuse to surrender, to soft pedal sin, to run and hide, to be silent. My only task is to speak as God speaks, love what God loves, and hate what God hates. The reason for this is that true believers are winners, not whiners. Read the Book: He wins, we win, they lose. PERIOD.

Several voices are calling for a day of mourning and prayer for our nation. It has been suggested that we choose July 4th of this year for that purpose. It would be a good contrast to what we normally see as a fun day with the family. One would have to note that security forces are saying that there are credible threats against us on that day.

A precedent for this is found in Proverbs 29:2 – When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice; but when the wicked beareth rule, the people mourn. In my nearly eighty years of life, this world has moved further into moral self-destruction than in all the rest of history. Those who misunderstand the holiness of God ask …where is the promise of his coming? For since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of creation. One question will solve this: when, in the history of this world, has there been a worldwide push to support sodomy? This may not include every nation, but who would ever have expected the news to be filled with photos of crowds in the streets of so many countries calling for the spread of this wickedness? This has never happened before.

MY, AIN’T GOD MAD

Some years ago I wrote an article with this title. Now in our nation, when you add the murder of thousands of unborn children to the exceedingly wicked spread of sexual perversion, it spells judgment. The wicked laugh at such an idea, saying “We don’t even know if there is a God”. Some in our circles tell us it isn’t so bad. Others ridicule God’s justice and push their own “sloppy agape” to silence the voices of truth.

Have it your way. The fact is that God has to judge this nation because He is holy and all other things flow from His holiness. God will judge this nation. We don’t know just when or how, but we do know why. We do know the times and the seasons (I Thessalonians 5:1), and we do know how God has done this in the past. He has used wicked rulers, enemies, and even the weather. We do know that this world is cursed by sin, and …we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now.” (Romans 8:22) We do …know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. (II Timothy 3:1) A list of crimes against God is outlined in that text, and they continue to increase at breakneck speed.

HOW DO PEOPLE RESPOND?

The pessimist cries, “Woe is me, there is no help or hope! It’s all over; nothing we can do. Face it – we have lost”. The optimist cries, “It’s not that bad. We will recover. Focus on the positive, and ignore the negative”. The realist cries, “This is a critical hour. We are set for the judgment of God. God is still on the throne. In the end, we will win; and we have a responsibility in this hour. There is no time for a pity party. We are overcomers, and the battle is not done”.

Actually, both the pessimist and the optimist have their heads in the sand. They both fail to engage the opportunity God has given us in this hour of trouble. As true believers, we were born for this hour. It is a great time to share the love of God and the gospel of Christ. The contrast is so great that, if we respond as God has directed, God will bless in many ways. This is a great hour for truth. The pessimist ignores it, and the optimist denies it. The realist steps up to take the challenge God has put before us. A holy God has called us to speak the truth in love. (Ephesians 4:15)

It is not loving to soft-pedal sin. It is not loving to cover or ignore wickedness. It is loving to tell the truth and make it plain and simple. We are not supposed to surrender or be silent. We need to see things as they are. This is not time for the silence or cowardice.

WHY SHOULD WE MOURN?

The truth is that our nation has crossed the line. Except for the grace of God and the possibility of a national revival, there is no coming back. The destruction of this country is sure, and the judgment of God has been sealed. This may be why mention of America is nowhere to be found in the scriptures. We should mourn because that judgment is near. In recent years our country has come close to civil war several times, and in the last year any one of these “flash points” could have set off fighting in the streets. We had a warning of outside destruction on 9/11; now the destruction is from within. Racism is on the rise, the elite in our capital violate our founding documents, the economy is set for collapse, and our military power has been neutered. One might add to this the current open hatred for biblical Christianity.

Of course there are small rays of light, such as the spirit of forgiveness in Charleston and some in leadership who speak out for righteousness. The entertainment church in general, however, has become virtually useless and doesn’t have enough power to blow the nose of flea. We should mourn because no nation that chose to kill its young and its old, embrace sodomy, or to turn its hand against God’s chosen people has ever continued.

If I had a flagpole, I would lower it to half-mast on the fourth of July in remembrance of the “death of a nation”; but I refuse to surrender, to soft pedal sin, to run and hide, to be silent. My only task is to speak as God speaks, love what God loves, and hate what God hates. The reason for this is that true believers are winners, not whiners. Read the Book: He wins, we win, they lose. PERIOD.

The term “secular” is most often used as a contrast to that which is spiritual, so that the world is divided into those two parts. That is actually a liberal concept. Believers often divide the work of the local church into those two parts, too. The problem is that, in the believer’s life, there is no such thing as secular or “non-spiritual”. The truth is that, for us, everything is a spiritual responsibility, right down to our very thoughts.

Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ.
(II Corinthians 10:5)

In the local church, we have made a false dichotomy because that allows us the freedom to do it our own way. This is exactly what has been done in our personal lives as well. Where did this human-based idea come from? This dangerous insertion is the way of the world. It is rebellious man wanting to live his life without spiritual intervention, to feel that he is in charge of his world, the “captain” of his soul. Human government has used this to strangle spiritual influence, and it is everywhere in the world around us.

Why did this false idea spread so rapidly? One of the major reasons is that it has been a centerpiece of our education systems, allowing man to answer the major questions of life rather than following the plain, clear teaching of God’s Word. From such areas as the source of life, to life after death, man has forced his definitions on us. The most tragic issue is that so-called Christian education has followed this concept blindly so that it would appear to be intellectual.

THE RECORD IS CLEAR

There is no question that many of our great educational institutions began with worthy spiritual goals. It’s not that they were perfect or had the same beginning; they moved from preparing preachers to creating scholars who despise the concept of a sovereign God with absolutes. The sad thing is that many current Christian institutions are neck- deep in this journey of the secularization of Christian education. This is a difficult thing for us to admit, but our very beliefs and the way we approach the Scripture is tainted by the concept that we have a better idea than God.

The question is why and how did this happen? It is as simple as reviewing the history of Israel. They determined that God as their king was not enough; they wanted to be like the other nations around them with a king they could see and touch. (I Samuel 8) So God gave them Saul, who was the epitome of “independent man”, who could live life the way he determined and yet have one foot in the religious world. This is clearly demonstrated in I Samuel 15. Saul, the secular/religious man, was actually the judgment of God on a nation who wanted to have it both ways. This is exactly what Paul describes with the “religious sinner” in Romans 2:17-29. You can’t have it both ways and still have it God’s way.

HUMANISTIC EDUCATION AT ITS WORST

In all honesty, state or federal schools are not public. They do not represent the general public; they reflect the view of the elite, who continue to experiment on unsuspecting people. Humanistic education will claim that it is free-thinking and intellectual, but the truth is that state schools function by “indoctrination”. That is exactly why, since the 1030’s, socialism has blossomed into the entitlement society we live in today.

Please don’t use the old lame excuse of there still being some good Christian teachers and administration in the system. Looking at the whole, their number is so small they barely appear on the charts. Talk about believers bailing out of the educational system is also poorly thought through. When schools were local and community-oriented, our presence was effective; but today the ACLU has more influence on the schools than all of us put together!

THE TRAGIC INFLUENCE ON US

Christian education has been unduly influenced by the humanist agenda. We were taught to think like they do. This liberal mindset is neck-deep in our own schools. We copied so many of their errors in an effort to be intellectual that now we not only think like the world, but also act like the world. A couple of illustrations from the pool of thousands will suffice. We were the people of absolutes and truth, with God and His Word as a standard; now we think that all views are right, and you cannot say that other people are wrong. People do have a right to their own views, but there is only one truth. We need to be kind and polite, but that doesn’t extend to our giving credence to error. All of this has affected our theology, too. There is only one right interpretation of a Bible text, but we act like we are not really sure, and they just may be right. Instead of being a matter of black and white, truth has turned gray.

We wanted to be approved by them, and in doing so we became like them. The demise of the Bible college movement is a result of this terrible compromise. What do the intellectual heathen know about what God wants our academic standard to be? Herein is the great failure. In Christian education, we have divided life into secular and spiritual. That is our excuse for allowing men and women who hate our God and us to tell us how education is best accomplished. Of course, most every one of us reading this was trained to think with a liberal mindset, and that is why Christian education has become secularized. We act, think, talk, and smell like our culture rather than having the sweet smell of truth and holiness.

The purpose of these monthly articles is to create discussion and it is to that end that I continue. It is not sufficient to discuss a problem, there must indeed be a suggested proposal and that is all a proposal is, an idea.

In one of his short stories Edgar Allen Poe tells of a man who is shut in a room where the walls move slowly inward. His death is sure if some answer doesn’t arrive soon. This is actually a picture of what is happening in our society as the walls of offense and restriction move in on Biblical Christianity. One of these issues is about sodomy. In our life time this practice has moved from being criminal to permissible, to acceptable, to legal and now supported to the point that people faith are required to accept it and be silent.

In the market place legal action is being taken against a business that exercises freedom of religion. These believers are required to honor and give respect to something God has condemned. The penalty for exercising the freedom of speech and freedom of religion, guaranteed in our founding documents, is that the best citizens in our nation are fined and forced out of their livelihood.

Several states have passed laws to support religious beliefs of its citizens but in doing so they are maligned, attacked and marginalized. In these actions believers are blackmailed and discriminated against. Discrimination is the very thing that those on the left say they champion. The language used against moral citizens is filled with hate, threats and demonstrates the very essence of evil that the immoral practice typifies.

Who is responsible for this slide into the moral abyss and the vengeful attack on believers? This may surprise you but we are. We shot ourselves in the foot. Let me explain.

COMING TO YOUR CHURCH SOON

We began this slide by choosing to use terms that favor the enemy. Trying to be polite we began using terms that were not so offensive to those who mock God’s holiness. “Gay” doesn’t mean happy but we wanted to so nice. “Same as” didn’t carry the seriousness that God describes in Romans one and Deuteronomy but “sodomy” was such an unkind word. Then sweet talking evangelicals fell into the word trap and made something evil not so evil. Now those terms of accommodation are used, by the cowardly, out of fear of penalty.

Finally the term “same sex marriage” came to the surface. No thinking Biblicist should ever use such a phrase because there is no such thing. Only God gets to define marriage. Using such language only gives credibility to wickedness. Use whatever name you choose but don’t call it marriage. If you are afraid just be quiet but don’t criticize those who will stand for righteousness at any cost.

We are a short step from this issue reaching the door of our churches. The God of the intellectual heathen is man. Their God said “anything goes” and even churches must comply. When they demand that godly pastors perform heathen marriages, what are you going to do? If you refuse your doors will be closed just as businesses are being closed.

WHERE DID THIS COME FROM?

The problem is that we chose to be “agents of the state”. We agreed to put marriage under a humanistic authority. You can argue until you are blue in the face but you cannot find any biblical authority for the state being in charge of marriage. Your allegorical, philosophical hermeneutic will get you there but not the bible text. I explain all of this from the biblical text in my book “The Coming Conflict” on the separation of church and state.

You will argue “it is law” and this is one of the big problems. Many things are legal but that doesn’t make them right or moral. Making the murder of unborn children legal didn’t make it right or moral. The bible is clear, when man’s law is in direct opposition to God’s law no believer is obligated to participate in evil. If they did Moses never would have had a chance, Daniel and the three Hebrew children would have signed up and the apostles would have been silent about the gospel.

You will argue that the courts have ruled in favor of this evil. It is hard to help people who have little understanding of just how corrupt the judicial system is. This goes all the way to the top with a supreme court that has rewritten the founding documents of this land. Those documents were meant to protect good citizens as Paul and Peter explain they should. Now the court is punishing good and giving protection for evil. One can only wonder why this isn’t treason.

HERE IS A PROPOSAL

What is a godly pastor supposed to do? Remember we are right around the corner on this issue. In our city someone has been going from church to church asking if they would do “same as” marriages. I suggest you stop being an agent of the state. Let the couple go to the Justice of the Peace for a license. Then have a real wedding under God in the church. So when the “same as” question comes you say “sorry we don’t do state weddings, our wedding celebrations are for the believers in our church just like any other worship event”. If you don’t find an answer sit down and compute what taxes will cost you when they take that freedom away. You will be out of business in less than three years and that is what they want, your silence. Don’t shoot yourself in the foot twice.

Christ’s words to the local church at Sardis are painful: I know thy works, that thou hast a name that thou livest, and art dead. (Rev. 3:1) That verse triggered something in my mind about the state of the local church today. In the past few years, thousands of pulpits that used to flame with the fire of righteousness have fallen to the “Ichabod syndrome”. They are left with about as much power as a wet firecracker. It is true that some of them have just gone out of existence. That is bad enough, but nothing compared to the tragedy of churches that are dead and don’t even know it.

Like marionettes, they dance, jiggle, and pretend to be real; but there is no real spiritual life in them. They are good at crowds and, just like the super bowl crowd, they make plenty of noise. They use a lot of good words and talk about God, even quote at times from the Bible, but truth was buried a long time ago. They flail about like a body that has just been beheaded, but from which real life is gone. The shell, buildings, and trappings are all there, but they echo with the sounds of those who are eternally lost.

WHAT CAUSED THEM TO DIE?

Leadership with no integrity has deliberately led them like the pied piper. Change is their mantra, and culture is their God. As II Timothy 3:5 says, …having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof. Because man is at the center of things, they cannot tolerate established faithful believers. Old things are out, and old people are just in the way. With no shame for their dishonesty, they use craft to assume ownership of ministry and money and then replace it with a consumer mentality. All vestiges of the past have to be removed, with nothing left to remind people of those days of genuine revival and powerful conversions. It may not be deliberate, but this is also the plan of the communists – “kill, destroy, and remove” any reminders of the past, then replace them with things that make people of the world comfortable. It is all about what they like.

Peter warned the people that false teachers were coming. Jude told them that they were already here. Those apostates didn’t rush in with guns blazing. That wouldn’t have worked, because the church would then wake up from its dull sleep. Modern day false teachers are bullies and cowards; like the ISIS demon butchers, they cover their faces. They strike at the elderly with little compassion for broken hearts. The truth is that they couldn’t hold a spiritual candle to most of those seasoned believers, but they are cowards. They hide while they attack the simple and immature, and then finally it is too late.

WHO IS RESPONSIBLE FOR THIS HORRIBLE DEATH?

This part is really the most tragic. The majority of the congregation could have prevented the death, but they did little or nothing. In fact, like Lot in Sodom, they fit right in. There are times when they might think back to a ministry of truth and righteousness, but then they are drawn back to the den of death. It is so much fun, and it feels so good, and the communicators are so effective. No real thought is given, though, as to what those leaders are not saying. It never crossed their minds that worship leaders didn’t have enough Bible truth in them to fill a thimble.

It never dawned on them, in the beginning, to recoil with righteous indignation when they began “singing lies”. They never thought to ask why the majority of great doctrines were never addressed. Their spiritual axe was so dull that they failed to realize that when nonsense – and sometimes heresy – were being taught, they should be asking questions. By then, those who originally were able to recognize error had either been run off or had left with the pain of a grieved soul.

In the end, thousands of so-called churches had “Ichabod” written over their doors, and they never even saw it coming. Like zombies or “the living dead,” they go through the motions with no feeling at all of the “burning” that Jude talks about. It is true that many of the deceived had never known the grace of God personally, but woe unto those disobedient believers who were not prepared, who remained silent and then joined the thundering herd.

FOR THOSE WHO CARE

Ministry always rises from what one believes. The idea that someone can change methods without it relating to their belief is part of the death lie. Disobedient people hate this, but it is possible to walk into an empty church building and know exactly what questions to ask. When you attend a so-called worship service, many of your questions will be answered. Worship is in the Spirit, and it is about God. It has to be in truth; thus, when people are singing lies, that is not worship. That is not truth. Worship is about God, not man. When a worship service mimics the Israelites dancing around the golden calf, it is not hard to tell that God is not the focus there.

I am for good change. I am for enthusiasm. I have no criticism of those who are moved emotionally by a song, message, or testimony. It is not that hard to tell, though, when someone is exuding hypocrisy. Don’t demonstrate your ignorance by talking about judging. We don’t condemn people; that’s God’s task. Ours is to be loyal to true grace and to a holy God. That relationship of obedience requires us to recoil at false teaching and fake worship that is not backed up by the daily life.

Let me be pointed – the Emerging Church movement is filled with this death cult, and yet blind people run rapidly toward disaster just because it is all new. It feels good to be saying, “I like it!” Oh, for the days when it was about what God loves and hates! You do have a choice, you know. Why in the world would you choose to stay trapped in something that grieves a holy God?